How Can You be so Blind?
by Elizabeth Scarlette
Summary: Rachel wonders how she sees something that the two people who raised her can't. AU Shelby has raised Rachel. Full backstory inside.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: So this is a one shot in which Rachel grew up with Shelby (Shelby being a single mother) so the two are very close. Shelby never even thought of giving her away, so this is also very AU. Rachel is 16. They live in NYC. Shelby made it big on Broadway. Thanks to ****Defygravity09**** who helped.**

**What happens when Shelby gets a new boyfriend?**

**I fair warn you I haven't been able to proof this yet but I wanted your opinion.**

"So who's this new guy?" Rachel asked as she watched her mother walk around the room getting ready for her date.

"Matt and he works with me."

"Oh?"

"Rachel Corcoran, we have had this discussion before."

"I know mom!" the girl fainted back onto the bed overdramatically. "It's just…. you haven't dated anyone in soooo long."

"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence, darling," Shelby joked as she slipped her earrings on.

"You know that's not what I mean." Yes. Shelby knew exactly what she meant. What she meant was that she hadn't dated since the last guy she had dated had left her high and dry for some floozy. "I just don't want you to get hurt," the girl whispered.

"I know you don't, baby," she stepped forward and kissed her daughter's head. "Now, Daniel is going to come over at 10 and stay with you while I'm gone." The girl groaned. "Don't give me that, I know you love him."

"Mom! Of course I love him! He's the closest thing to a dad that I've ever had! I just don't need a babysitter," She stated exasperatedly.

"I know and if I wasn't going out so late, when it's dark outside, I would let you stay home by yourself. He's not here to watch you, he's here to keep a lookout for the freaks in the world."

The girl sighed deeply, "I know."

"Good." The doorbell rung and Shelby about panicked. "Honey can you please go get the door? I'll be right down. It may be Daniel but he usually just walks in."

"I got it, just finish up and don't rush! You want to look your best!" the girl walked down the hallway and opened up the door to see the man, Matt, on the other side. "You must be Matt! I'm Rachel, Shelby's daughter."

"Hi," the man greeted as he walked inside, "nice to meet you. Where's Shelby?"

"Oh she's just finishing up. Now listen, Matt." The man looked up at the girl shocked. "My mother is the most important person in the world to me, she's my hero. She's so strong, but she has one fault: she loves too much. You had better be serious about this, about going out with her. You better not be just looking for a quick lay. She deserves so much better than that and I'm going to ensure that she gets it. You had better not hurt her. But if you do, I'm the one who'll be picking up the pieces, and when I'm done, I will personally make your life a living hell. I have friends at the theatre and don't think I won't use that connection. So if you really were just looking for a quick lay, get out. You aren't welcome here. But if you are serious, thank you for treating my mom with respect. So what will it be?" the man seemed to think for a minute before turning and walking out the door. Rachel was baffled and disgusted all at the same time.

That bastard.

Those two words were on a loop in her head.

"I'm ready! Sorry it took so lo- Where'd he go?" Shelby asked. "I thought I heard him."

"You did. I'm so sorry mom."

"What happened?" Shelby asked, highly confused as to why her daughter was apologizing.

"I told him welcome. And then I warned him that if he was just looking to get you into bed and not have a real relationship, to get out. And… he left."

"He left?" Shelby asked as her purse collided with the floor. "All he wanted was to have **sex** with me?"

"I'm so sorry mom," Rachel stated, walking up to her and wrapping her arms around her mother. The older woman just melted into her daughter as she dissolved in tears. Finally, Rachel succeeded in getting her mother to the couch and soon had her laid out with her head resting in her lap. "I'm sorry, momma," Rachel whispered as she looked down at her mother, running her fingers through her mother's hair, a comforting motion her mother always did for her.

When Daniel walked into the door two hours later he was shocked to find both of the leading ladies in his life sitting on the couch. His best friend and his…. Well their daughter (they had pretty much raised her together). "Shelby?" Daniel asked hesitantly, but when she saw him, she jumped and ran into his arms, crying into his shoulder. "Shhhhh…. Sweetheart, what happened?" he asked as she buried her face into his neck.

"He… he was a j-j-j-jerk. All he wanted was to s-s-sleep with me." Anger flared up within Daniel. How dare that man even think of disrespecting such a beautiful (both inside and out) woman? His best friend? His Shelby?

"Shhh, babe, it's ok. At least you didn't waste your time with that jerk," he whispered into her hair as he continued to hold her, stroking her hair as he placed soft kisses to her head. "You deserve so much more than that scum." Soon he had maneuvered her to the couch only, she crawled into his lap and continued to sob into his neck.

Rachel just sat there and watched, baffled at how two people could love each other so much and yet not be together.

**A/N: I hope you liked it! **

**PLEASE REVIEW**


	2. Chapter 2

"Danny," Shelby nearly cried into the phone.

"Shell? What is it?" Daniel spoke softly into the phone, trying hard not to panic.

"I'm so sorry I called so late but…. But I didn't know who else to call."

"Sweetheart it's ok. What is it?"

"It's just I'm so sick. And.. and.. and Rachel is sick….. and I just can't do it. I'm a horrible mother!" Shelby sobbed as Rachel's cries for her mother got louder on the other side of the door.

"No you aren't. You are a wonderful mother, you just need some help. I'm coming over. Now hang up the phone, go pick up Rachel and take her to your room. You know you both get clingy when you're sick so go cuddle up in your bed until I can get there. Ok?"

Shelby sniffed and nodded before quickly adding, "Ok."

"Alright. I'll be right there." He hung up.

Shelby quickly went and picked up her crying two year old. The little girl's sobs quickly quieted when her mother held her and the young mom trudged to her room. Pulling back the covers she settled them between the sheets. "Mommy I no feel good," the little girl whimpered as she buried her face in her mother's chest.

"I know baby. I'm sorry, baby. Mommy doesn't feel good either." Shelby replied softly as she ran her slim fingers through her toddler's curls.

"I sorry mommy."

"It's ok."

Ten minutes later, Daniel arrived to find the house empty. He walked to Shelby's room and found both of his girls lying in bed together, sound asleep. Quietly, Daniel walked to the bed and disentangled the two year old from her mother, lifting her into his arms. The fact that Shelby didn't move a muscle broke his heart. _My poor darling_, he thought, _she must be exhausted._ He placed a tender kiss to her forehead and carried Rachel out of the room. As soon as they were in the living room, the child shifted as she awoke. "Danny?" the girls whispered, looking up at him.

"Yes, baby?"

"Danny, I's humgwey."

"Do you want some soup?" he asked as he shifted her onto his hip. The little girl nodded and then snuggled into the man signaling that she also did not want to be put down. Somehow the man managed to get the soup done and get Rachel to eat it. "Alright baby, it's time for a bath."

"But Danny!" the girl whined.

"No buts miss priss, you need a bath."

"Ok," the girl pouted and Danny scooped her up, taking her to the bathroom. Bathing her proved to be a challenge as about halfway through the bath, the Benadryl that he had given her kicked in, nearly knocking her out cold. "Danny, are you my daddy?" she asked as he helped her into her nightdress.

"Why do you ask that?"

"Because, Mary said dat when she and her mommy got sick a couple weeks ago, her daddy took care of dem and now you are taking care ob us."

"Um, well I.." there was no use, the girl was already asleep.

Tucking her into her covers, Daniel bent down and kissed the young girl's head. "Good night angel."

"Good night daddy," came the breathed reply as he stepped out the door. Daniel couldn't help the swell in his heart as he heard her last word.

Smiling he turned to see Shelby standing in the doorway with her head leaned against the frame. She looked so weak and it only broke his heart that he couldn't just snap his fingers and make her better. "Your turn," he whispered as he backed her out into the hallway.

"hat?"

"Your turn to get taken care of. What do you need?"

"I'm fine," she whispered, "I'm just going to go to bed."

"Do you want me to hold you?" the question came out of his mouth before he even had a chance to hold it back. What he had said earlier was true, she did get clingy when she was sick. He remembered one night long ago as they stayed up all night talking, she had mentioned that when she was sick, all she wanted was to be held. How when she was little, her mom wouldn't let little Shelby cling to her, and so she got used to having no one, but she still wished she just had someone to do that.

Shelby turned and looked at him questioningly. "I don't want to get you sick," she mumbled.

"You won't. Do you want me to?"

"Are you sure you don't mind?" he took that as a yes and began walking her to her room. After kicking off his shoes, he climbed into the bed and formed his body behind hers and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her as close as he could. She smiled softly and drifted off to sleep, happy that, though it was not official through a relationship, her baby had a daddy, and she had a partner in raising little Rachel.


End file.
